AIM:To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture at the Taiyang on refractive parameters and the expression of β-catenin and integrin β1 in the ciliary body of mice with form-deprivation myopia(FDM).METHODS:A total of 48 3-week-old healthy C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: normal control(NC), FDM group, sham acupuncture(sham), and electroacupuncture at Taiyang acupoint(Taiyang), with 12 mice in each group. Mice in the FDM, sham, and Taiyang groups, wore translucent custom-made eye masks on the right eye to induce myopia. The Taiyang group received electroacupuncture stimulation at the Taiyang acupoint, while the sham group underwent non-penetrating stimulation with a blunt wooden stick. No intervention was performed on the NC group. Refraction and axial length were measured by infrared autorefractor and optical coherence tomography(OCT)before modeling and at 4 wk after modeling. The expression levels of β-catenin and integrin β1 in the ciliary body of mice at 4 wk after modeling were detected using quantitative real-time PCR(qPCR)and Western blotting(WB).RESULTS:After modeling for 4 wk, compared with the NC group, the FDM and sham groups showed significantly decreased refractive power(both P<0.05), elongated axial length(both P<0.05), and increased β-catenin and integrin β1 expression. Compared with the FDM and sham groups, the Taiyang group showed significantly increased refractive power(both P<0.05), shortened axial length(both P<0.05), and decreased β-catenin and integrin β1 expression.CONCLUSION:Electroacupuncture stimulation at the Taiyang acupoint effectively delayed the progression of myopia in FDM mice, and this effect may be partially mediated through modulating the expression of β-catenin and integrin β1 in the ciliary body.

Insulin-like growth factor-1(IGF-1)is a multifunctional growth factor which plays an important role in various physiological and pathological processes of the body by regulating biological behaviors such as cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration. Studies have found that abnormal expression of IGF-1 in the retina, sclera and other eye tissues can participate in the occurrence, development and prognosis of various ophthalmic diseases by regulating retinal autophagy flux and angiogenesis, adipogenic differentiation of orbital soft tissues and degradation of scleral extracellular matrix. This paper systematically integrates the expression level changes and mechanism of action of IGF-1 in ophthalmic diseases such as diabetic retinopathy(DR), age-related macular degeneration(ARMD), retinopathy of prematurity(ROP), Graves' ophthalmopathy, myopia, corneal injury and uveal melanoma(UM), and combines the latest clinical and animal experimental evidence to evaluate the bright prospects and potential risks of IGF-1 targeted therapy, in order to provide new ideas and theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of ophthalmic diseases.

The central amygdala (CeA) is a crucial modulator of emotional, behavioral, and autonomic functions, including cardiovascular responses. Despite its importance, the specific circuit by which the CeA modulates blood pressure remains insufficiently explored. Our investigations demonstrate that photostimulation of GABAergic neurons in the centromedial amygdala (CeM^GABA), as opposed to those in the centrolateral amygdala (CeL), produces a depressor response in both anesthetized and freely-moving mice. In addition, activation of CeM^GABA axonal terminals projecting to the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) significantly reduces blood pressure. These CeM^GABA neurons form synaptic connections with NTS neurons, allowing for the modulation of cardiovascular responses by influencing the caudal or rostral ventrolateral medulla. Furthermore, CeM^GABA neurons targeting the NTS receive dense inputs from the CeL. Consequently, stimulation of CeM^GABA neurons elicits hypotension through the CeM-NTS circuit, offering deeper insights into the cardiovascular responses associated with emotions and behaviors.
Animals ; GABAergic Neurons/physiology* ; Male ; Central Amygdaloid Nucleus/physiopathology* ; Hypotension/physiopathology* ; Mice ; Blood Pressure/physiology* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Solitary Nucleus/physiology* ; Photic Stimulation ; Neural Pathways/physiology*

Plastics are widely used in all areas of human life,providing convenience while also causing serious en-vironmental pollution problems.Microplastic pollution is one of its derivative problems.Microplastics are plastic parti-cles with a diameter of less than 5 mm.They are currently widely present in the environment,so humans are at considera-ble risk of exposure to microplastics.Humans are mainly exposed to microplastics through the respiratory tract,digestive tract and skin.When exposed to a large number of microplastics,some of them will enter the body and be transported throughout the body via the bloodstream,accumulating in multiple tissues and organs.A significant amount of microplas-tics has also been detected in the cardiovascular system.This paper systematically describes human exposure to and dam-age by microplastics,highlighting the distribution and pathological damage of microplastics in the cardiovascular system.The pathological mechanisms of cardiovascular damage caused by microplastics are analyzed,and relevant clinical research progress is followed.This paper aims to evaluate the pathological risk of microplastics from the perspective of cardiovascu-lar damage,and provide a basis for disease prevention and scientific prevention and control of microplastic pollution.

Objective To observe the effects of electroacupuncture at the Hegu(LI4)acupoint on refractive parame-ters and the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and interleukin-1 β(IL-1β)in the retinal tissue of mice with form-deprivation myopia(FDM).Methods Forty-eight SPF-grade,3-week-old healthy male C57BL/6J mice were ran-domly divided into four groups:normal control group,FDM group,sham acupuncture group,and Hegu group.Experimen-tal myopia was induced in the right eyes of mice in the latter three groups by wearing translucent diffuser goggles.Mice in the Hegu group received electroacupuncture stimulation at the Hegu(LI4)acupoint,while those in the sham acupuncture group received intervention with a non-penetrating blunt needle at the same location.Body weight,refractive error,and axial length were recorded for all mice before modeling and at 2 and 4 weeks after modeling.At 4 weeks post-modeling,mice were euthanized.Real-time quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)and Western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels of TNF-α and IL-1β,respectively,in the right retinal tissues.Retinal cell apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL staining.Results At 2 weeks post-modeling,compared with the normal control group,the refractive error of the right eyes was significantly decreased and the axial length was significantly increased in the FDM,sham acupuncture,and Hegu groups(all P＜0.01).At 4 weeks post-modeling,compared with the normal control group,the refractive error was significantly decreased and the axial length was significantly increased in the FDM and sham acupuncture groups(all P＜0.001).Compared with both the FDM and sham acupuncture groups,the Hegu group showed a significant increase in re-fractive error and a significant decrease in axial length(all P＜0.001).At 4 weeks post-modeling,RT-qPCR and Western blot results showed that the mRNA and protein expression levels of TNF-α and IL-1 β in the retina were significantly higher in the FDM and sham acupuncture groups compared to the normal control group(all P＜0.05).In contrast,the protein ex-pression level of TNF-α and the relative mRNA and protein expression levels of IL-1β in the Hegu group were significantly lower than those in the FDM group(all P＜0.05).TUNEL staining results showed that the retinal cell apoptosis rate was significantly higher in the FDM and sham acupuncture groups compared to the normal control group(all P＜0.001).Com-pared with the FDM and sham acupuncture groups,the retinal cell apoptosis rate was significantly lower in the Hegu group(all P＜0.001).Conclusion Electroacupuncture at the Hegu(LI4)acupoint can significantly inhibit the progression of myopia in mice.The mechanism may be related to the downregulation of TNF-α and IL-1β expression in the retinal tissue,thereby inhibiting retinal cell apoptosis.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2024.03.030.].

ObjectiveThis study leverages structural data from antigen-antibody complexes of the influenza A virus neuraminidase (NA) protein to investigate the spatial recognition relationship between the antigenic epitopes and antibody paratopes. MethodsStructural data on NA protein antigen-antibody complexes were comprehensively collected from the SAbDab database, and processed to obtain the amino acid sequences and spatial distribution information on antigenic epitopes and corresponding antibody paratopes. Statistical analysis was conducted on the antibody sequences, frequency of use of genes, amino acid preferences, and the lengths of complementarity determining regions (CDR). Epitope hotspots for antibody binding were analyzed, and the spatial structural similarity of antibody paratopes was calculated and subjected to clustering, which allowed for a comprehensively exploration of the spatial recognition relationship between antigenic epitopes and antibodies. The specificity of antibodies targeting different antigenic epitope clusters was further validated through bio-layer interferometry (BLI) experiments. ResultsThe collected data revealed that the antigen-antibody complex structure data of influenza A virus NA protein in SAbDab database were mainly from H3N2, H7N9 and H1N1 subtypes. The hotspot regions of antigen epitopes were primarily located around the catalytic active site. The antibodies used for structural analysis were primarily derived from human and murine sources. Among murine antibodies, the most frequently used V-J gene combination was IGHV1-12*01/IGHJ2*01, while for human antibodies, the most common combination was IGHV1-69*01/IGHJ6*01. There were significant differences in the lengths and usage preferences of heavy chain CDR amino acids between antibodies that bind within the catalytic active site and those that bind to regions outside the catalytic active site. The results revealed that structurally similar antibodies could recognize the same epitopes, indicating a specific spatial recognition between antibody and antigen epitopes. Structural overlap in the binding regions was observed for antibodies with similar paratope structures, and the competitive binding of these antibodies to the epitope was confirmed through BLI experiments. ConclusionThe antigen epitopes of NA protein mainly ditributed around the catalytic active site and its surrounding loops. Spatial complementarity and electrostatic interactions play crucial roles in the recognition and binding of antibodies to antigenic epitopes in the catalytic region. There existed a spatial recognition relationship between antigens and antibodies that was independent of the uniqueness of antibody sequences, which means that antibodies with different sequences could potentially form similar local spatial structures and recognize the same epitopes.

Objective:To investigate the value of elevated preoperative troponin T (TnT) in predicting perioperative adverse cardiac events in geriatric hip fracture patients.Methods:A total of 273 elderly patients undergoing surgical treatment for hip fracture at Department of Cardiology, Tianjin Hospital between January 2024 and December 2024 were enrolled. Basic demographic information was recorded, and preoperative TnT levels were measured. Patients with elevated preoperative TnT ( n=114) were enrolled into the elevated group, while those with normal TnT ( n=159) were enrolled into the normal group. Fracture types included femoral neck fracture ( n=141) and intertrochanteric fracture ( n=132). The impact of elevated preoperative TnT on perioperative major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), as well as the influence of different fracture types on MACEs, were analyzed. Normally distributed continuous data were expressed as Mean±SD and compared by independent samples t-test. Categorical data were expressed as case(%) and compared by χ2 test. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was performed. The predictive value of TnT for MACEs was assessed by plotting the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and calculating the area under the curve (AUC). Results:The incidence of perioperative MACEs was significantly higher in the elevated TnT group (21.9%, 25/114) compared to the normal TnT group (3.1%, 5/159), with a statistically significant difference ( χ2=23.95, P<0.001). The comparison of postoperative MACEs incidence between different fracture types showed no statistically significant difference [12.1% (17/141) vs. 9.8% (13/132)] ( χ2=0.34, P=0.560). Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis indicated that elevated TnT level ( OR=8.633, 95% CI: 3.117-23.911, P<0.001) was an independent risk factor for perioperative major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), increasing the risk by 7.633 times compared to patients with normal TnT. A TnT threshold of ≥0.028 μg/L predicted MACEs with a sensitivity of 0.600 and specificity of 0.954 (AUC=0.839, 95% CI: 0.751-0.926, P<0.05). Conclusion:Troponin T can serve as an independent predictor of perioperative adverse cardiovascular events in elderly patients undergoing surgery for hip fracture and plays a crucial role in the perioperative cardiovascular risk assessment of these patients.